Beautiful Byzantines

I agree that the symbol on the coin in this post above:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/beautiful-byzantines.352446/page-12#post-4879515
is a "6", but it is not well-represented in the "Ч" typeface which is closer to a Byzantine "5". For example, here is a 5-nummia of Tiberius II, Sear 483.


Ч for 5 and the symbol for 6 are similar. When the left side of the Ч-ish symbol is longer and bends over to the right it becomes a "6". See the example next for year 8 (=6 + 2) under Maurice. Sear 494.



If someone has a font in which that symbol for "6" is well-represented, please put that symbol in this thread so we can copy it in the future. I have a web page where I am accumulating useful ancient-coin symbols. It began with Greek letters:
http://augustuscoins.com/Greekletters.html
I'm sure there are many more ancient-coin symbols that I don't have. Show useful fonts and symbols here or in a message to me and I will add them to that page. You can all bookmark that page and copy symbols from it.

 

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I've got a few nice trachea, too!

Manuel I Comnenus
BI Aspron Trachy

1167 - 1180 A.D., Constantinople Mint, null Officina
4.34g, 30.0mm, 6H

Obverse: IC-XC,
Christ, bearded, seated facing on throne without back, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium, book of gospels in left hand. Star in right field

Reverse: MANYHΛ ΔECΠOT,
Manuel standing facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger, being crowned by the Virgin Mary to right

Exergue: null

Provenance: Ex. Numismatik-Naumann Auction 62, Lot 1203 (Part of)

Reference: SBCV 1966

Andronicus I Comnenus
BI Aspron Trachy

1183 - 1185 A.D., Constantinople Mint, null Officina
3.74g, 29.0mm, 6H

Obverse: MP-ΘV,
The Virgin Mary standing facing on dais, holding bust of Holy Infant on breast

Reverse: ANΔPONIKOC ΔЄCΠOTHC / IC - XC,
Andronicus standing facing, holding akakia and globus cruciger, and being crowned by Christ to right

Exergue: null

Provenance: Ex. Numismatik-Naumann Auctionm 62, Lot 906

Reference: SBCV 1985
Alexius III Angelos
BI Aspron Trachy

1195 - 1197 A.D., Constantinople Mint, null Officina
4.31g, 30.0mm, 6H

Obverse: KЄPO H ΘЄI/IC-XC,
Bust of Christ facing, beardless, raising right hand in benediction

Reverse: [AΛЄΞIOC DECP O KWNTANTI],
Alexius, left, and St. Constantine, right, standing facing, holding between them globus cruciger

Exergue: null

Provenance: Ex. Gert Boersema, April 2018

Reference: SBCV 2012

 

I have a lovely Maurice Tiberius coin from year 7 represented with the ϚI, shown below.

Maurice Tiberius
AE Follis

588 - 589 A.D., Constantinople Mint, 2nd Officina
12.24g, 29.0mm, 6H

Obverse: D N MAVRI[C] TIBER P P A[VG],
Crowned and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield

Reverse: -,
Large M between A/N/N/O and ϚI (R.Y. 7), cross above, B below

Exergue: CON

Provenance: Ex. CNG Electronic Auction 457, Lot 513, Ex. Jack A. Frazer Collection, Ex. Ponterio 76 (1 August 1995), Lot 481

Reference: SBCV 494

 

This does not qualify as a "beautiful" Byzantine, but it is a bit scarce, I think. From an undescribed eBay lot, Maurice Tiberius from Carthage:



Maurice Tiberius Æ Half Follis
Indiction Year 3 (584-585 A.D.)
Carthage Mint
DN TIB MA[VRICI P], crowned, cuirassed bust facing, holding cross on globe and shield / Large K, star to left, N-cross-M above, star to right, IND III (= indiction / year 3) in exergue.
SB 560; DOC 249; MIB 119.
(6.82 grams / 17 mm)

 

This is an excellent series ,this episode shows you the evolution of Christianity in the Roman empire.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...AA263B09C6D047DDDA4BAA263B09C6D047D&FORM=VIRE

It does not go into spiritualism, the Greek philosophy that the later coins portraits were based on. The concept was simply, All beauty is within. So classic portraits were no longer important.

 

Today I upgraded my anonymous Class C. Lovely coin, with an almost perfect reverse and a very agreeable obverse. This design is one of my favourites of the anonymous series, and I am determined to find the perfect example. The fact that they are quite affordable, makes it possible to accumulate examples until the perfect one is found.



Here is my original for comparison. I think I managed to upgrade both sides. Much deeper strike, and better centering on the obverse. I will only upgrade it again if I ever find an example with a perfect Jesus.



It came with a spot of bother though, or rather a spot of Bronze disease. Very small, just a speck inside the first C on the reverse. I scraped it off and then washed the coin with soap and hot water. I then proceeded to dry it with a hair-dryer. I think I will watch it for a week to see if the spot comes back. If it does, what shall I try?

 

Many thanks for the link, @BenSi. Bookmarked, and tabbed! ...And with my compulsion to multitask (or try to), I usually stay away from video. In this case, Thank you, the video is indispensible.

 

Magnificent example, @Only a Poor Old Man. Very best of luck with the spot of bother. (Like your literalisation of the phrase --the occasion? not so much.)

 

A beautiful patina if nothing else:

 

That is a great upgrade!

Neither of mine are spectacular. But I like the top one the most. The cross is decent and there is a hint of an overstrike.

 

@furryfrog02, the relative subtlety of the overstrike on that one is a little reminiscent of ...relatively understated peck marks on Viking Age coins.

 

I had to look up what peck marks are. Learned something new today
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/used-and-abused-coins-and-the-vikings.346862/

This overstrike isn't great on this one but I'm assuming it is an overstrike on a follis of Romanus III.

 

Many thanks for the link, @furryfrog02. From a little before I joined the forum; need to get better at using this site as the resource it is.

 

I'm not great at finding what I'm looking for using the forum's search function, tbh. I googled "viking coin peck marks" and the first hit was a CT link that I provided

 

Constans II
AE Follis

659 - 668 A.D., Syracuse Mint, null Officina
4.07g, 27.8mm, 6H

Obverse: -,
Constans, holding long cross, and Constantine IV, holding globus cruciger, standing facing

Reverse: TKw monogram,
Large M; monogram above, Heraclius and Tiberius standing facing to left and right, respectively

Exergue: SCL


Provenance: Ex. Agora Auction 84, Lot 284

Reference: SBCV 1110

 

I love the condition of this coin, normally not my time period but this nice it was hard to say no.

Constans II, with Constantine IV, 641-668. Follis (Bronze, 23.5 mm, 4.06 g, 6 h), Syracuse.9. SB 1109.